Signaling system for mines



- -A. J. GURNEY SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR MINES Filed 1923 2 Sheets-Sheed l Jan. 20. 1925 A. J. GURNEY SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR MINES Fil'ed Nov. 7, 1925 i r i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT T. GUBNEY, OF CANTON, OHIO. ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN MINE DOOR 00., OF CANTON, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SIGNALING SYSTEM FOR- EIINES.

Application filed November 7, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. GURNEY, citizen of the United States, residing at Canton in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Systems for Mines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved signaling system for mines, being especially designed for use in coal mines, and seeks, among other objects, to provide a system wherein suitably located annunciators will be automatically energized incident to the pasot a mine car along the tracks of the mine.

The invention seeks, as a further object, to provide a signaling system wherein the use of switches or contact springs will be eliminated.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a signaling system wherein it will be unnecessary to equip the mine cars with any special apparatus to effect the operation of the system.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing my improved system as it would be installed in the main and side entries of a mine,

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation showing a typical hanger employed,

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation showing another typical hanger employed, but of slightly different design, and

Figure 4' is a detail elevation showing the manner in which the circuits through the annunciators are closed by means of the trolleys of the mine cars.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the usual trolley wire of the ingoing track of the main entry of a mine is indicated at and the trolley wire of the out-going track at 11. Similarly, the trolley wire of the track of a left side entry is indicated at 12 while the trolley wire of the track of a right side entry is indicated at 13.

Further, I have illustrated the trolley wire of a left cross-over track between the main tracks, at I l, and the trolley wire of a right cross-over track at 15. In conjunction with the trolley wires or main conductors, l employ a plurality of pendant wires or auxiliary conductors, one of which is indicated at Serial No. 673,329.

16. As shown in. Figure 2, these conductors are arranged above and over the trolley wires and are supported at their ends by hangers indicated as a whole at 17. A typical hanger is illustrated but since said hanger has been made the subject of a separate application, it is not necessary to herein go into the details of the device. However, it should be observed that the hangers include set bolts 18 which may be adjusted for tensioning the conductors 16 and also carry clamps 19 for supporting the trolley wires in addition to the conductors. Auxiliary hangers, indicated as a whole at 20, are also employed for supporting the intermediate portions of the conductors as well as also supporting the trolley wires, a typical auxiliary hanger being shown in Figure 3. This hanger, like the hanger of Figure 2, has also been made the subject of a separate appli cation and will not, therefore, be described in detail.

As shown in Figure 1, the conductor 16 is arranged over the trolley wire 10 in advance of the junction of the wire 12 therewith and arranged over the wire 10 to extend across the junction of the cross-over track wire therewith is a similar conductor 21 connected with the conductor 16 by a wire 22. Arranged over the wire 11 in advance of the junction of the wire 13 therewith, is a conductor 28, and arranged over the side entry track wires 12 and 13 are like conductors 24c and 25, while similar conductors 26 and 27 are arranged over the cross-over track wires 14 and 15 respectively. In series with the conductors 16 and 21 is a green or other suitably colored pilot lamp 28 as well as a preferably red signal lamp 29 electrically grounded as indicated at 30, the lamp 28 being arranged adjacent the main iii-going track and the lamp 29 adjacent the left side entry track. As is usual, the trolley wire will, of course, be more or less slack, so that, as a mine car proceeds along the main in-going track and the trolley 01 the car travels along the wire 10, the trolley wheel, conventionally illustrated in Figure 4: at T, will, in being pressed upwardly against the trolley wire, lift said wire into direct contact with one of the conductors but failing in this, will, in any event, contact both the trolley wire and the conductor wire engaging first with the conductor 16 and then with the conductor 21 to close a circuit through the lamps 28 and 29. Accordingly, the motor'rnan" of the ",car will thusefi'ect dis lay j v of the proper sigwill be ableto see the green piiot lamp 28 "'nals. In series 'Witi the conductor 27 is a While any other motorman of, a car on'the' signal lamp 47 adjacent the ill-going track leftside'entry'track,'will be apprised by the of the main entry, a pilot lamp 48 adjacent signal lamp 29 of the approach of a car on" the right cross over track, a signal lamp 49 the main track. adjacent the out-going track of the main Attention is now particularlyfiirected to entry; and=-a signal lamp 50 adjacent the the fact that the circuit through the conright side entry track, these lamps being dnctor 16 will be inaintainedclos'edsubstaii connected with the ground 46. Accordingly, tially throughout the length of said con-a When the conductor 27 is energized from the duciioiflf and!)willij iikivise "be maintained "trolley Wire 15, the pr'opersignals will be closed"practically ;thi oiighout the lengthier givei'i. "suitable' annunc'iatorhousings may tl1econdiictor"21 so that after 'the FlaniKs be rovided 'for'the signal lamps and, as haye ibee'n;'energi""d,-said lainps wi llllel suggesteddn Figure l,several lamps are mafiaainedfenerg d for a considerabl"'in any'in'stance Where possible, arranged in timeior 'u'ritil itheba'if the "mziiii in{g cii'ng' a singlej housing-, While reflectors, as inditra'ck hasfprog'rejssdito "a 'point oat cf th' -Ycatddiagraiiunaticallyat 51, are employed Tlil'engthof'thefc'ondnctoiWir niin conjunction with the lamps for focusing d"'wi'll,1therefore,deti niiie the the raysthei eof in the direction desired. proximate interval'during which the'display Having thii'sdescribed the invention, what of afsig'nal Will be maintained and, of" is claii'iiedas neiif'is:

" such interval may beeitli'er length L In a signaling system, the eonibinatioi'i cours ene or shortened as desired b'ysimijlyi aI- of a main conductor, means supporting the main conductor for ilQXII'Lg movement away Inf 'series"With"the"condnctoi 23'is'a froin'its normal position, an annunciator, a nal'flanip adjacent Qthefriglitilside entry? trolley having an element to travel along the track-fa ilot'lamp 32 acent eren i (llit 'f"lniiini conductor 'i'leXing said main conductor, going trackja s'igna'lflanip' adjacent the ant an elongatedauxiliary "conductor elecright'jcros's over track, and a sigiialdanip 34: "trically "connected with said annunci ator and adjacent the leftside entry: traclifth'esesev insulatingly supported adjacent the main eral 'biiigconiiec'ted"with thegroiindfcondnctor to extemt substantially parallel 3t). Accordingly, when thetrolley ire "11 theieto substantially in the path of the flexis lifted"by-thetrolley of'a car 'upon""the inginovenient"of the main conductor for .i:iain" 'n1t going tr a c'lg all of said lamps'dvill direct engagementby the latter conductor be energized and signals thus given to main when flexed closing a circuit. through said tainth'e out-going "tra'ckcl'ear. In series "ani'niiiciatori with the conductor 2 i'i's'j api'l'ot lamp 35 ad "1 2. In a signaling system, the combination jacent th'e-left side'entr'y' track,"and"a Si ia-lof a trolley Wire, means supporting thetrolthese lamps being electrically 'groiinded as normal" position,- indicated at Thusflifting of th'e' trolley' "jhaving afiele'inent to-travel along thet volley wire "12 byfthe" trolley of a 'carlupoiii' said wireilefiiiig saidtrol'ley wire, and an auxtrack i willre s ult in itheenergi'zatioii or-a "iliary conductor \vire"electrically connected pilot lainp for" the benefit of the" motor nalr with said an-nunc iato'r and insulatingl-y sup "While the *lanop' 36fWill giyeifwsto'psignal 'poi'tedadjacent the tl'OllQYWil'BTO extend at the in-going track of the entry? substantially. parallel theretosubstantially lnseri'es" Witht'heconductor' 25 a "pilot" in the -=patl of the flexingmovement ofthc laIiipBSadjace'nt therigli'tside entry'track, trolley wire" for-direct engageinentby the anannimciatoi',a trolle) 105 a signalslainp 39' adjacent the-"main oiit= trolley winewhen-flexedclosing a circuit going-track, a signal lamp 40 adjacent the through said annunciator;

rightcross-over track, and a signal lainpz il- SJ'In -a signalingsystenn'the combination adjacent the left side entry "track','-tlies" of a main conductor, an annunciator, an several"'lanipsbeing a-lsoelectricallyground "auxiliary conductor electrically connected ed at Thusfwhen the conductor 25' is Witlisaid 'annunciator and *insulatingly sup- 'energizedt froni the trolley vvire""f13", tlie poiite'rl adjacent the main conductor to ex no proper signalswill be giveni" "In series Witlf tend longitudinally thereof, a trolley to the conductor 26 is a signal-lampra2*adja "c0operate with said conductors closing a ce1i't*tlie ingoing trackoftheinain entry," :1 circnit-throughsaid annunciator, and means 1)ilot"la1npt3" adjacent the "left 'cross over coiinnon 'to both conductors supporting said trackf'a signal lanip adj acen'tthe out conductors and adjustable for tensioning'the going-"track of the main entry, and a signal auxiliary conductor independently of the lamp 45 adjacent the rigli't si'de 'en'trytrack, main conductor-1 these several lanrps being electrically In a signaling-system, the combination groiindewas indicatedat 46; EneigiZa't-ion of a IDELl'II conductor, an annuneiamr, an

'ofthe conductor 26" from the trolley wire 14 auxiliary conductor electrically connected with said annunciator and insulatingly supported in spaced relation to the main conductor to extend longitudinally thereof, a trolley to cooperate with said conductors closing a circuit through said annunciator, and means common to both conductors supporting said conductors and adjustable to affect the auxiliary conductor independently of the main conductor and vary the spacing between said conductors.

5. In a signaling system, the combination with a main track, and a side track, of a trolley wire associated with both tracks, means supporting said wire for flexing movement away from its normal position, an auxiliary conductor wire insulatingly supported adjacent the trolley wire at the main track, an annunciator adjacent the main track, an annunciator adjacent the side track, said annunciators being electrically connected with said auxiliary conductor wire, and a trolley having an element to travel along the trolley wire flexing the trolley wire into direct engagement with the said auxiliary conductor wire closing a circuit through the latter wire and through said annunciators.

6. In a signaling system, the combination with a main track, and a side track, of a trolley wire associated with both tracks, means supporting said wire for flexing movement away from its normal position, an auxiliaryconductor wire. supported adj acent the trolley wire at the side track, an annunciator adjacent the side track, an annunciator adjacent the main track, said annunciators being electrically connected with said auxiliary conductor wire, and a trolley having an element to travel along the trolley wire flexing the trolley wire into direct engagement with said auxiliary conductor wire closing a circuit through the latter wire and through said annunciators.

T. In a signaling system, the combination with a main ingoing track, a main outgoing track, and a cross over track extending be tween the former tracks, of a trolley wire associated with all of said tracks, means supporting said wire for flexing movement away from its normal position, an auxiliary conductor wire insulatingly supported adj aeent the trolley wire at the ingoing track, an annunciator adjacent the ingoing track, an annunciator adjacent the outgoing track, an annunciator adjacent the cross over track, said annunciators being electrically connected with said auxiliary conductor wire. and a trolley having an element to travel along the trolley wire flexing the trolley wire into direct engagement with the auxiliary conductor wire closing a circuit through the latter wire and through said annunciators.

8. In a signaling system, the combination with a main ingoing track, a main outgoing track, and a cross over track extending between the former tracks, of a trolley wire associated with all of said tracks, means supporting the trolley wire for flexing movement away from its normal position, an auxiliary conductor wire insulatingly supported adjacent the trolley wire at the cross over track, an annunciator adjacent the ingoing track, an annunciator adjacent the outgoing track, an annunciator adjacent the cross over track, said annunciators being electrically connected with said auxiliary conductor wire, and a trolley having an element to travel along the trolley wire flexing the trolley wire into direct engagement with said auxiliary conductor wire closing a circuit through the latter wire and through said annunciators.

9. In a signaling system, the combination with a main ingoing track, a main outgoing track, and a cross over track extending between the former tracks, of a trolley wire associated with all of said tracks, means supporting said wire for flexing movement away from its normal position, an auxiliary conductor wire insulatingly supported adjacent the trolley wire at the outgoing track, an annunciator adjacent the ingoing track, an annunciator adjacent the outgoing track, an annunciator adjacent the cross over track, said annunciators being electrically connected with said auxiliary conductor wire, and a trolley having an element to travel along the trolley wire flexing the trolley wire into direct engagement with said auxiliary conductor wire closing a circuit through the latter wire and through said annunciators.

10. In a signaling system, the combination with a main ingoing track, a main outgoing track, a cross over track between the former tracks, and a side track extending from one of the main tracks, of a trolley wire associated with all of said tracks, means supporting said wire for flexing movement away from its normal position, an auxiliary conductor wire insulatingly supported adjacent the trolley wire at one of said tracks, an annunciator adjacent each of said tracks, said annunciators being electrically connected with said auxiliary conductor wire, and a trolley having an element to travel along the trolley wire flexing the trolley wire into direct engage ment with said auxiliary conductor wire closing a circuit through the latter wire and through said annunciators.

11. In a signaling system, the combination with a main ingoing track, a main outgoing track, a cross over track between the former tracks, a side track leading from the ingoing track, and a side track leading from the outgoing track, of a trolley wire associated with all of said tracks, means supporting said wire for flexing movement away 

